Apparatus for preventing theft from closed compartments



I L-., VINING. APPARATUS FOR PREVENTINQIHEFT FROM CLOSED COMPARTMENTS.

' APPLICATION FILED DF"-3,J 92|.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. E. VINING,

APPARATUS FOR PBEVENTl NG' THEFT FROM CLOSED COMPARTMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 13,1921. 1,429,806. Patentedsept- 19,1922

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- fl 2. I

l lll l v .m m W W l 1 l g? BNVEHTOR.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

LEONARD EDWARD VINING, 0F LUCKNOW, INDIA.

APPARATUS ronrnnvnnrr ne THEE-T n acin CLOSED COMIABTMENTS;

Applicationfileil December 13,11 921. SeriaLNo. 5.224153.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I, Lnonnnn EDWARD Vmrxe, a subject of the King of England. residing at Lncknow, India, I have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Apparatus for Preventing Thefttro i Closed Compartments, of which the following is a specification. I

Thisinvention is for improvements in or relating to apparatus forpreveiitingthe ft from closed compartments, and for its particular object :to prevent the theft {of goods from closed railway Wagons. 1A1- though these wagons, used for. erg-ample in India, are providedwith no means of access except the doors, andthese are boltedand locked, it is found that the locks are frequently picked by natives and grain or other stores are stolen from, the wagons. This invention, however, may equally well be applied to, any stores, buildings, or other form of closed compartment. v

According to this invention, theft-preventing apparatus for a closed compartment comprises in combination an indicator, .a line controlling the indicator and operatively connected with the. means of entrance to the compartment in .such manner that the line moves the indicator from the all right position should the means .of entrance be opened but will not return it on the closing of such means oi entrance, and a niovable cover for. a trip-se-ttingopening inthe wall of the compartment, which cover carries, a oneway engaging fingerso situated relativelyto thesaid line that it trails across itwhen the .cover is moved in the closing direction but interlocks with it when thecover is moved in the opening direction, so that should the doors or othermeans of access to thecompartment, or the cover aforesaid, be opened, the indicator will show that such opening has taken place even though they be afterwards closed.

Preferably the indicator is loaded to move into the alarm position, and the controlling line is connected to a trip whereby the indicator islocked in the all right position until the trip is operated. by the said line.

The loading may be applied to a member which it tendsto move angularlyand the trip takes the form of a pin preferably weighted which engages the loaded member and prevents its'angular novement until such time as the pin is withdrawn bythe indicatoncontro'l line.

According to one method of carrying out this invention as applied to a railway wagon, the indicator takes .the form ofan arm pivoted to swing parallel with'one wall of the wagon and carrying at one end a disc, for example painted red, which can be'brought opposite an aperture in the wall,1 which aperture is preferably closed by glass or the like. When the disc is opposite the ,aperture it is in Whatwill hereinafter be referred to as the all right position, but if it is swung awayiromthe aperture it is in the alarm position, though'obviously this could be reversed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the applica tion of this; invention to a railway wagon Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete apparatus in the wagon;

Figure 2 is a partial view elevation showing the door the inside;

Figure 3 is a detail view, being a section on the line oiFigure 2';

Figure 4; is a view partly in section sho wing the indicator'and its trip device; and

Figure 5shows a modified construction.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

} ln the particular embodiment of the in vention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, there is provided at any convenientplace in the wagon, say at one end, a rod 10 (see Figures 1 and i) disposed horizontally and mounted in bearings so that angular movement can be impa1'te-cl "to'it about a horizontal axis.

of awagon viewed from I This rod carries at each end an arm 11 and a disc 12. An aperture 13 is provided in the side walls of the wagon, and is'so positioned that the said turning movement I of the rod 10 brings tlie" disc 12 into or out fromregister with this opening. Thesediscs 12 constitute, the indicator, and they'may be arranged ,so'that they are normally set in registei. with the openings 13, so that this is the alljright position, but that if the doors of p the wagon are tampered with, the discs 12 move, away from the apertures 13 a'nd new longer visible therethrough.

This serves'as an indication that an attempt has been made upon the wagon. In the par ticular construction illustrated, the rod 10 is loaded by means of spiral springs 15 which normally tend to turn it into the alarm position, but such movement is restrained in the manner hereinafter described.

At any convenient point in its length the shaft 10 is formed with an enlargement 16 having one or more holes in it whereof the axial direction is radial to the-rod. Above the rod 10 there is mounted a casing or guide 17 wherein slides a weighted member 18 which has a pin 19 formed on itslower end, this pin being adapted to engage with the hole or holes aforesaid in the enlargement-16. The weight 18 isalso provided with a laterally-projecting pinor holder 20, which extends outwards through a slot 21 in the casing 17 to provide meansfor manual operation of the weight 18. The slot 21 is conveniently helical and constitutes a guide for the pin 20 so that the weight 18 has a slight rotary movement as it is raised or lowered in its guide 17.

Two flexible lines or cords 22, 23 (see Figure a) i are connected to the weight 18 and are led through suit-able tubular guides 24, 25 along the back and sides of the wagon to the doors on each side. These doors are illustrated as double folding doors 26, 27 and 28, 29 respectively. The tubular guides 24:, 25 terminate adjacent their re spective doors, and the flexible lines extend as far as the ends of their respective guides, being provided at those ends with loops 30 (see Figure 2) or other convenient means for attaching a further cord or line to them. Alternatively, each of the lines 22, 23 may be 0]": sufficient length to extend from the end of its tubular guide across one of the doors, for example, 28, so as to be at tached in any convenient manner to the companion door, for example 29.

The operation of this device is as follows:

Therod 10 is turned so as to bring the indicating discs '12 into the all right position, that is to say, in register with the openings 13, and the weight 18 is then moved downwards or allowed to fallso that its pin 19 engages one of the holes in the part 16 of the rod 10, so as to hold the rod against any turning movement under the action of the springs 15. This pin 19, therefore, constitutes a trip device which retains the indicator in the all right position untilit is moved. The lines 22, 23 are then drawn comparatively tight in their guides and fixed across the doors in the manner hereinbefore described. Each line thereby crosses the meeting point or" the two doors on each side of the wagon so that neither door can be opened without pulling upon one'or other of the lines; such pull will immediately raise the weight 18 and disengage its pin 19 from the part 16 of the rod 10 and release the indicator so that it would move into the alarm position.

In order to provide for setting the lines after the doors have been closed, there is provided in the doors, or in any other convenient position, a setting opening 31, with a vertically sliding cover-or closure-plate 32. This opening 31 is so positioned that the line 23 (see Figure 2) or the extension 33 thereof extends across it or in close proximity to it.

After the wagon doors have been closed and locked in the ordinary manner, the cover-plate 32 is raised "from outside and the operator can insert his hand through the opening 31 to adjust the line across the door in the manner hereinbefore' described.

In order to prevent access to the interior of the wagon through the opening 31 without operating the indicator, the cover-plate 32 is provided on its inner surface with means for engaging the line which trips the indicator. This may be effected by providing on the inside of the cover-plate a trailing arm which is hinged to swing about a horizontal axis parallel with the line 23,

the hinge being such that the arm can swing upwards freely but will not swing downwards beyond thehorizontalposition. This arm is so positioned that when the coverplate 32 is open, the arm is above the hori- Zontal positionoccupied by the line 33, and when the plate is allowed to fall to close the opening 31 the arm trails across the line 33 and comes sufiiciently far below it to be released and fall into a horizontal position. When thus readjusted this arm will engage and pull on the line 32 after the cover-plate is raised to open the aperture 31. In a modified construction, however, which is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the cover-plate 32 is provided on its inner surface with a tongue-like member 34 extending inwards and downwards from it, and an upwardly directed hook 35 is fixed on that side of the tongue which is adjacent the cover-plate. This tongue is so shaped and disposed that'after the cord 33 has been put in place, and the cover-plate 32 is allowed to fall, the line is engaged between the tongue 34: and the plate 32 as shown most clearly in Figure 3. The upwardly-directed hook 35 does not offer any obstruction to the entry of the line 33 into the position shown in Figure 3, but it acts as a barb to engage the line 33 should the cover plate 32 be raised to open the aperture 31.

It was stated above that the lines 22, 23 may terminate at the ends of their tubular guides or may be of suificient length to extend across the door; the preferred construction is that in which the lines terminate near the ends of their guides, being provided with suitable stopsto'prevent them being withdrawn into the guides and to permit' of the "easy 'attachment "of separate lines or cords tothem'these extra portions bein of suilicient length to extend across the door; suchan-eXtension-piece is indicated at33 in Figure 2. The ends of the lines may be connected to the doors by means of ordinary staples, but it is preferredtofattach them {to a locking bar 36 as shownin Figure 2. This isa weighted bar which is pivotally mounted at 37 on one of the'doors 29 so thatitnormallyhangs vertically'clea r of the line'of junction38 o-E thetwo'doors. This bar isused to receivethe endof the line 33, being for example provided with an eye to receive a hook on'the end of theline, and it is so proportioned that "when thus connected to theline the bar'swings into'position across 'the'line of junction 38 aforesaid. It thereby provides a lock for: the doors which prevents 'thembeing opened "and which is situated inside the wagon.

"Figure shows a modified construction providing further safeguards. This figure is a partly sectional viewin a plane'a-t in the alarm position, 'and' the bore 42 iS a'r ra'nged to be in alignment with the pin in "the all right position. Further, the

borelis deeper than the, bore 42 so" that the pin can'enter further into it. 'Con'veniently, the bore 41 extends right through the enlargement 16 and the bore' 42 opens into the bore 41 in a T-form'ation. Theslot 21 wherein the pin moves "is helical or inclined, and :is provided *at its lower'end with an upward extension d3.

The various parts are so proportioned that when the indicator is set in the all 0 ht position with the pin engaging the hole 42. the pin 20 does not fall to the bottom of the slot 21, but occupies a position as shown in Figure 5.

In the operation or this'construotion of the device, any pull on the cords, in the manner above described, lifts the pin 40 out "from engagement with the hole'42 "and allows the indicator to move into the alarm position. This turning ofthe -shaft 10 thereby brings the hole 41 into alignment 'with the pin 4L0, and as soon as the tension on the cords is released,"the weight' 18 falls and the pin 40 enters the,hole' l1 to its full depth, so that the pin QO'travels down the slot 21w the'bot'to'mfthen o'ccupying'the position shown-at tet in l igurefiQ The indicator is therefore locked 'in the""alarm 'po's1t1on,and*any attempt to 'rei'ease it by 'pullingon the cords merely'li'fts the pin iZO "directly moving the discs $2, for example through the aperture atwhich they areeX- posed, by breaking the'glass'or like cover oi: this aperture; the onlym'ethodof resettingthe deviceis tounload the wagon so as to obtain access to the handle '20 in the normal Way from' insidethe-wagon. i

. It will be seen that this invention provides a device which" will indicate any at tempted opening of the doorsj't he' device iti self belng'set through aspe'o'ial-"open rng provided with '-a sel-f l'ocking oe'ver,,tl1e arrangement' being su'ch that after the device has been set-and theeeover closed, any attempt to openthe cover, jquite a part 'l'romfan at tempt-to "open the door, I would-also trip the indicator 'to indicatetl'i'at the "doors had been tampered with. v i

Obviouslythis in-vention ciould'be applied to warehouses or any otherbuildings, and

" the parts er this 'ap p aratus may be variously modified without departing from -the l spirit of the invention; the detailed"descriptionv given being onlyby way of example-and not byway-Vofli'mitation' ""The indicator, for instance, could take the form of asoundalarm or it could assume various forms provided it is tripped by a" line having such. engagementjwith the doors that they mustpull upon itwhe'n opened, and 5 a setting-apertureis provided. whose-opening is closed by a -cover=plate "which" again must pull iu-pon the line if itis-opened after setting; I claim-:-

lH Theit-preventing "apparatus for a "closed compartment comprisingincombina tion an"indicator, a line oontrolling-the im dicator and operatively' con'n'ected with the means of entrance tothe compartment in such mannert'hat the' lin'e moves the indicatorfrom the all right'position should line that it trails across it when the" cover is moved in the los'ing d'i rection; but inter- 'locks' -it v'vhenthe *oover' is m'oved in the opening 'direction','-for the=purpose *deseribed.

2. A theft-preventing device for a closed compartment and according to claim No. 1

wherein the indicator is loaded to move into the alarm position and the controlling line is connected to a trip whereby it is locked in the all right position until the trip is operated by the said line.

3. In a theft-preventing device according to claim No. 1 the combination with a controlling line that is stretched across a door or doors, of a bar mounted on one part of the door and movable to engage said controlling line, said bar being so disposed that when thus moved it engages the second part of the door to provide alock inside the compartment. g

, 4. In theft-indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination with an indicator, of a line controlling the indicator and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that the line will move the indicator from the all right position should the means of entrance be opened, but will not return it on the closing of such means of entrance, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging detent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across it when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with it when the cover is moved in the opening direction, substantially as set forth. s v

5. In theft-indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination with an indicator loaded to move into the alarm position, and a catch arranged to hold the indicator in the all right position, of a line connected to said catch and so arranged in operative relation to the'closed means of entrance of the compartment, that the line will trip said catch should the means of entrance be opened, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging detent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across it when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with it when the cover is moved in the opening direction and therebytrip said catch, sub

stantially as set forth.

6. In theft-indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination of an indicator comprising a rotatable member loaded to move into an alarm position,

trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging detent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across it when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with it when the cover is moved in the opening direction and thereby trip said catch, substantially as setforth. I

'7. In theft-indicating "apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination of an indicator comprising a rotatable member loaded to move into an alarm position, a'weighted pin arrangedto enter a hole in said member and hold the indicator in an all right position against angular movement, and a line connected to .said pin and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that the line will trip said means should the means of entrance be opened, substantially as set forth."

8. In theft indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination of an indicator comprising a rotatable member loaded to move into an alarm position, a

weighted pin arranged to enter a hole in said member and hold the, indicator in an all right position against angular movement, a line connected to said pin and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that theline will trip said pin should the means of entrance be opened, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging de-- tent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across indicator having a load tending to move it from an all right position into an alarm position, a catch arranged to engage and hold the indicator in each said position, a line connected to said catch and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that the line will trip said catch from the indicator in the all right position should the means of entrance be opened, and thereby allow the indicator to move into the alarm position and be engaged therein by said catch, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging detent carried by said coverand so situated in relation tosaid line that it can trail across the line when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with the line when the cover is moved in the opening direction and thereby trip'said catch from the indicator in the all right position, substantially as set forth.

10. In theft-indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination of an indicator having a load tending to move it from an all right position into an alarm position, a catch arranged to engage and hold the indicator in each said position, a line connected to said catch and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that the line will trip said catch from the indicator in the all right position should the means of entrance be opened, and thereby allow the indicator to move into the alarm position and be engaged therein by said catch, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the wall of the compartment, and a oneway engaging detent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across the line when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with the line when the cover is moved in the opening direction and thereby trip said catch from the indicator in the all right position, said catch and the part with which it engages in the alarm position of the indicator being such that the catch cannot be tripped solely by pulling the line, substantially as set forth.

11. In theft-indicating apparatus for a closable compartment, the combination of an versely one of the other and of the axis of rotation of the member, a vertical slotted guide arranged vertically above said holes,

a weight slidable in said'guide, said weight having a pin adapted to enter said holes,

and an arm movable in the slot insaid guide,

which slot has one upwardly extending curved branch, and a vertical branch extending upwards from the lowerend of the curved branch, and a line connected tosaid weight and so arranged in operative relation to the closed means of entrance to the compartment that the line will lift said Weight and thereby remove the pin from one of said holes should the means of entrance be opened, and thereby allow the indicator to move into the alarm position and, on the closing of such means of entrance, allow the weight to descend and insert the pin into the other of said holes, substantially as set forth."

12. In theft-indicating and theft-preventing apparatus for a compartment having a door, the combination of an indicator, a bar pivoted on the wall of the compartment to swing into an unlocking and a locking position in relation to the door, a line having one end operatively connected with and controlling said indicator and its other end connected with said bar and arranged to hold the bar in its locking position, a movable cover for a trip-setting opening in the, wall of the compartment, and a one-way engaging detent carried by said cover and so situated in relation to said line that it can trail across it when the cover is moved in the closing direction, but will engage with the line when the cover is moved in the opening direction, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEONARD EDWARD VINING. 

